1. Field of the Invention
The disclosures herein generally relate to an image processing apparatus, a security system supplied with the image processing apparatus, an image processing method and a storage medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various methods of using an MFP (multifunction peripheral) equipped with plural functions such as a copier, a facsimile apparatus or a printer as a security apparatus for a monitoring apparatus for monitoring an intrusion of an intruder in a building have been proposed.
As the above-described MFP, for example, Japanese Patent No. 3745663 discloses an image processing apparatus equipped with a security application program that detects an intruder by an infrared sensor and an imaging unit and reports to a specified destination.
The above-described image processing apparatus generally transitions to an energy saving mode after a predetermined time without any operations.
Intrinsically, a situation that especially requires a security mode is a state where no one is present in an office due to going home, going outside, having a meeting or the like. However, the image processing apparatus then transitions to the energy saving mode, as described above.
When an intrusion of an intruder is detected during in the energy saving mode, the image processing apparatus must restart respective functions so as to change from the energy saving mode to the imaging mode. When the respective functions are restarted, an initial (return) operating sound by a rotation of a photoreceptor or a process control operation occurs and the intruder may recognize it. There is a problem that when the intruder knows the existence of the image processing apparatus supplied with the security mode, the intruder gets away from the image processing apparatus and the imaging unit cannot image the intruder.